JPH09247342A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Problem] To scan a document size smaller than the maximum scan size and to adjust the document density (brightness), preview the document (maximum scan size and scan at low resolution). To provide a digital copying machine capable of reading an original with an appropriate original size and an appropriate density without performing the operation. A digital multi-function peripheral having a scanner function by connecting to a host computer, a document size detecting unit that detects a size of a document as a scanner, and image data of a document area detected by the document size detecting unit. Is output to the host computer.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus which achieves a scanner function by connecting to a host computer, and more particularly, when it is desired to read a document size smaller than the maximum reading size and the document density (brightness). The present invention relates to a digital copying machine capable of reading an original with an appropriate original size and an appropriate density without previewing the original (maximum reading size and reading at low resolution).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in a normal scanner, when it is desired to read a document size smaller than the maximum read size, the maximum read size is previewed (reading at a low resolution), and then the read area is set to the small document size. It was designed to read according to the size. Here, if the reading area is not adjusted to the small original size, even a useless area (outside the original range) will be read during the actual reading. Also, with a normal scanner device, if you want to adjust the density (brightness), you can preview (read at low resolution) once, set the density (brightness) reading parameters by looking at the preview image, and then perform the actual reading. Was executed. On the other hand, recently, by connecting to a host computer, a scanner function, a digital copying function, a digital F
A digital multi-function peripheral that achieves the AX function and the laser printer function has been proposed.

[0003]

However, when the digital multi-function peripheral functions as a scanner, as described above, when it is desired to read an original size smaller than the maximum reading size, as in the case of a normal scanner, the maximum reading is performed once. If you want to preview the size (scan at low resolution) and then execute the scan by adjusting the scanning area to the smaller original size, or adjust the density (brightness), preview once (scan at low resolution). However, it is necessary to set the reading parameter of the density (brightness) by looking at the preview image and then execute the actual reading, and there is a problem that it takes time and labor for the above preview. . The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to preview the original document when the original size smaller than the maximum reading size is desired to be read and the original density (brightness) is desired to be adjusted. It is an object of the present invention to provide a digital copying machine that can read an original with an appropriate original size and an appropriate density without performing (maximum reading size and low-resolution reading).

[0004]

To achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is an image forming apparatus comprising a host computer and a scanner, wherein the scanner detects an original size detecting means. And output means for outputting the image data of the original area detected by the original size detecting means to the host computer. According to the image forming apparatus of claim 1, when it is desired to read a document size smaller than the maximum reading size, the image is automatically previewed with the maximum reading size and the reading area is automatically adjusted without adjusting to the small document size. You can scan with an appropriate document size.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in an image forming apparatus including a host computer and a scanner, the scanner has a document density detecting means for detecting the density of the document.
The present invention is characterized by further comprising output means for changing the reading density of the original on the basis of the original density detected by the original density detecting means and outputting it to the host computer. According to the image forming apparatus of the second aspect, when it is desired to adjust the density (brightness), it is possible to automatically adjust the appropriate density (brightness) without looking at the preview image and setting the reading parameter of the density (brightness). ) Can be read.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a digital copying machine embodying the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, this digital copying machine includes a system controller unit 1 for controlling the entire system as described later, and a reading input device unit 3 for reading an original according to reading parameters.
A printer unit 5 for printing the print data from the system controller unit 1, an operation panel unit 7 for sending key input data to the system controller unit 1, and a display for displaying the display data from the system controller unit 1. It has a device unit 9, a host interface unit 11 connected to the host computer 10, and a storage device 13 for storing image data obtained by reading a document, various set values, programs, and the like.

Then, the system controller section 1
Is a part that controls the entire system and can perform the following processing. The operation panel section 7
Receive key input data from. Display data is sent to the display unit 9 to display a message. The host interface unit 11 communicates with the host computer 10. A reading parameter is set in the reading input device section 3. A read command is issued to the read / input device section 3, and the image data obtained by reading the document is loaded into the storage device 13. The storage device 1
The read image data fetched in 3 is transferred to the host computer 10 through the host interface unit 11. Through the host interface unit 11, the print data sent from the host computer 10 is converted into bit map print data, sent to the printing device unit 5, and a printing command is issued to the printing device unit 5 for printing. . The reading input device section 3
The document size information automatically detected from the above is transferred to the host computer 10 through the host interface unit 11.

Next, the reading input device section 3 is a device for reading a document according to a reading parameter, sends the read image data to the system controller section 1, detects the size of the document, and detects the size of the document. When the document is read, the density (brightness) can be adjusted according to the image of the document. Then, the digital copying machine operates as an image forming apparatus together with the host computer 10 when switching to the scanner function is performed.

Next, the scan function operation of the first embodiment of the digital copying machine according to the present invention will be described with reference to the operation flowchart of FIG. In S1 of FIG. 2, when the user using the scanner function switches to the scanner function for the digital copying machine shown in FIG. 1, the scanner function is activated, and in S2, initial setting is performed. Then, after the initial setting, in S3,
The digital copying machine side waits for a command to be received from the host computer 10. Next, in S4, the original document feed request command is sent to the host computer 1
It is determined whether the original is fed from the 0 side, and when the original document feed request command from the host computer 10 side is received in S4, the original feed is executed in S5, and the original is placed at the readable position. Set.

If a document feed request is not issued in S4, the host computer 1 in S6.
It is determined whether or not the original size acquisition request command is received from the 0 side, and when the original size acquisition request command is received, in S7, the read input device unit 3
Automatically detects the size of the original. In S8, the detected document size information is transferred to the host computer 10 via the system controller unit 1. Returning to S3 above, S9 after passing through S4 and S6 above
In the case where the other command processing is the document reading request command, the document reading is performed according to the document size detected in S7. Therefore, according to the first embodiment, when it is desired to read a document size smaller than the maximum read size, the document is automatically previewed at the maximum read size without adjusting the reading area to the smaller document size, and an appropriate document is automatically selected. Can be read in size.

Next, the scan function operation of the second embodiment of the digital copying machine according to the present invention will be described with reference to the operation flowchart of FIG. In S1 of FIG. 3, when the user using the scanner function switches to the scanner function in the digital copying machine shown in FIG. 1, the scanner function is activated, and in S2, initial setting is performed. Then, after the initial setting, in S3,
The digital copying machine side waits for a command to be received from the host computer 10. Next, in S4, the original document feed request command is sent to the host computer 1
It is determined whether the original is fed from the 0 side, and when the original document feed request command from the host computer 10 side is received in S4, the original feed is executed in S5, and the original is placed at the readable position. Set.

Next, when the document feed request is not issued in S4, it is determined in S10 whether or not the document read request command is received from the host computer 10 side, and the document read request command is received. In such a case, in S11, the reading / input device section 3 automatically adjusts the density (brightness) according to the image of the original. That is, the reading parameter value of the density at the time of reading is set. And S12
In step S13, the document is read in accordance with the set read parameters, and the read image data is transferred to the host computer 10 in step S13. Therefore, according to the second embodiment, when it is desired to adjust the density (brightness), the preview image is not read and the reading parameters of the density (brightness) are not set, and the reading is automatically performed with an appropriate density (brightness). be able to. If the original reading request command is not received in S10, S1
At 4, other command processing is performed.

[0013]

According to the present invention, since the automatic document size detection function and the automatic density adjustment function which are usually provided in a digital copying machine are used in the scanner operation, the document size smaller than the maximum reading size can be read. When you want to do it, you can preview with the maximum scanning size and automatically scan with an appropriate document size without adjusting the scanning area to that small document size.If you want to adjust the density (brightness), you can preview each preview image. It is possible to automatically read with an appropriate density (brightness) without setting the reading parameter of the density (brightness).

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a digital copying machine embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a scan function operation flowchart of the first embodiment of the digital copying machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a scan function operation flowchart of a second embodiment of the digital copying machine according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... System controller section, 3 ... Read input device section, 5 ... Printing device section,
7 ... Operation panel part, 9 ... Display device part,
10 ... Host computer, 11 ... Host interface unit, 13 ... Storage device, S1
S14 ... Each step,

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus comprising a host computer and a scanner, wherein said scanner detects a document size detecting means for detecting a size of a document and image data of a document area detected by said document size detecting means. An image forming apparatus comprising: an output unit for outputting to a host computer. 2. An image forming apparatus comprising a host computer and a scanner, wherein the scanner is a document density detecting means for detecting a density of a document, and a document is read based on the document density detected by the document density detecting means. An image forming apparatus comprising: an output unit that changes the density and outputs the changed density to the host computer.